Exploring The Key Antecedents of Burnout in Women Police: An Interpretative Structural Modeling Approach

Abstract

Burnout is a critical occupational hazard within policing, often leading to diminished well-being and professional effectiveness. On examining the considerable research, burnout in general police populations, less focus is showered to the unique experiences of women police officers, who frequently encounter gender-specific stressors. This research emphasizes on exploring and analyzing the key antecedents of burnout among women police personnel in India, using an Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) approach to understand the hierarchical structure and interrelationships among these factors.

The research adopts a mixed qualitative-quantitative methodology. Through in-depth review of literature and specialist’s interviews, and Delphi technique, a comprehensive list of burnout antecedents relevant to women in policing was identified and refined. The ISM methodology was then employed to develop a structural model that delineates the contextual relationships among the identified factors, categorizing them into driving, dependent, and linkage variables.

The findings reveal that burnout in women police officers is not only influenced by conventional occupational stressors but is significantly shaped by socio-cultural and gender-related factors. Key driving antecedents include lack of institutional support, organizational culture, gender bias, and work-life conflict. These foundational elements contribute to secondary outcomes such as emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and a reduced sense of personal accomplishment.

The research aims at providing theoretical understanding of burnout through a gendered lens and gives a framework which is structured for addressing burnout in women police. The model which is developed, provides worthy views for policymakers, police administrators, and HR professionals to design more inclusive and supportive interventions expected to promote psychological resilience and job well-being among women police personnel.